Raav
by Raav
Summary: Asha remembers an old Contact from S1W who can cure Max of the Virus. Question is, why do her kids had Barcodes? (1/?)(Completed)
1. Back in the Day

Big Kid Now 

Big Kid Now

Authors Note: This is the start of a story about the four yet to be named X5 escapee's. I don't own anything that's on the real show Dark Angel.

Gillette Wyoming, 2009

"Eyes Front!" yelled the drill sergeant. The X5's snapped to attention and stayed there like perfect little statues. Lydecker marched past the lines a few times, yelling at X5s for their minor transgressions. X5 631's boots were untied. X5 210 was slouching. X5 493's gun wasn't shiny enough. X5 584 eyes were watching the German Shepherds.

"You all should know your mission," said Lydecker, "But just in case some of you aren't loyal to your duty let me fill you in. There are six X3's out there in those forests. They are dangerous, and they are armed. Your mission is to take them down. You will be split into three teams of five, with your CO coordinating it all. X5 452, X5 631 and X5 656 will each lead a team into the forest. X5 493, 798, 701 and 734 will follow X5 452. X5 413, 711, 210, and 324 will follow X5 631. X5 584, 205, 742 and 766 will follow X5 656. You will do what your leader says and the leaders will do what X5 599 tells them. Am I understood?"

"Yes Sir!" barked the X5s. Max looked around at her siblings and saw X5 631, Raav, flash two fingers, then three, signaling she wanted to meet up to aid each other in the mission. Max flashed one finger signifying she would.

"Then I suggest you let X5 599 give you your orders."

*+*+*

Max lead her team, which consisted of Ben, Jace, Krit and Brin, through the woods to the spot where Raav said she would meet them. Max was good at escape and evade, but when it came to hunting, no one could touch Raav. She was a hunter with the instincts of a wolf. Jondy had often told Max that Raav would make a better leader than Zack because she was faster on her feet, but Max always stood up for Zack.

Max entered the clearing and looked up. Raav was up in the trees along with Syl, Dan, and Jondy. Raav waved her hand the four of them jumped down in unison. Jondy ran over and stood proudly beside Max, while Ben sauntered over and stood beside Raav.

"Hack is scouting ahead," said Raav, "But I thought I heard one of them just ahead. I think we should head into the river and swim upstream."

"What about Tinga's group?" said Jondy.

"Tinga can fend for herself," said Raav.

"Not to mention the fact that trying to contact her would let Zack know we are working together," said Dan, "And he would not approve. He is already going to be upset at Raav for removing her earpiece."

"I don't need big brother breathing down my neck at all times," said Raav, "Now Dan be quiet and lets hunt."

"This is why she'd make a good CO," said Jondy quietly to Max, "She's tough but fair. She could have hit Dan, but she didn't."

"Zack has never hit me," said Max.

"Well he hits me all the time," said Raav, "Now be quiet and lets swim."

"Tough but fair," said Jondy as she and Max waded into the river after Krit and Syl. The group of nine X5's swam calmly down the river towards where they heard noises. About halfway down the river, Raav stopped and ordered them all out and into trees. Raav liked the trees.

"RAAV! RUN!" shouted Hack. The X5s looked down and saw Hack being hauled by his ears to the bottom of the tree by Zack.

"X5 631!" said Zack.

"Let him go Zack," said Raav, "I'm sorry but you order me around too much."

"Tinga got taken down," said Zack, "I was worried you had too."

"What!" said Syl, "So we're on our own?"

"Yes," said Zack, "We're to withdraw. The X3's had aquired hostages. We need to move."

"Yes sir," said Raav, "Lets move!"

"Yes Ma'am," said the other X5's. Zack started moving forward, his gun out. Max joined him at the front, while Raav went to the back with Krit and Syl.

"Is Tinga okay?" said Max.

"Yeah," said Zack, "Eva got roughed up, but nothing she can't handle."

"Good," said Max. She continued through the bushes with Zack. She heard a rustling on her left and looked over to see a crow. She looked back and watched in horror as Syl tried to shoot the crow, but instead Hit Dan.

The echo of the bullet rang in the ears of the kids as Dan fell back and hit the Ground. The others gathered around him and watched in horror as their brother took his last breath.

"We should take him back with us," said Raav, "To honor the dead."

"Why?" asked Syl, her knuckles white from clutching the gun so hard.

"Because hes a soldier, a fallen comrade, our brother. Syl, I think all of us would want to be taken back for burial," said Ben, "Its what the blue lady would want."

"I'll take him," said Hack.

"No," said Raav, "I will. He was my responsibility."

"Raav?" said Zack who was a little shocked at his sisters sense of duty.

"He was under my protection and I failed. I'll carry him," she said as she knelt down and flung him over her shoulders, "He's not that heavy. He's my brother."

"Come on," said Zack, who took Dan's feet and helped carry him back to Lydecker.

"I have a bad feeling about this Max," said Jondy, "Like this is the start of something big."

*+*+*

"Max?" said Raav as Max entered the barracks a few days later. Raav had decided to stay up late to wait for Max because she had been summoned to see Lydecker.

"Wake them up!" said Max, "Wake them all up."

"Why?"

"I saw Jack."

"He's okay?"

"Ben was right. The Nomolies got him."

"They got him?"

"Yes. They were taking him apart on the table."

"Max, go to sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

"No, I'm not tired."

"Max, go to sleep."

"No."

"Jondy is asleep, now you go."

"Fine," said Max. She walked over to her cot and lay down on the bed. Raav watched her, then went over to her cot and leaned to the one next to her. Eva opened her eyes and stared up at Raav.

"They killed Jack. Dissected him like you said they did to Dan. I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

"You better be," said Eva, "Who saw?"

"Max."

"Max saw what?" asked Roc.

"Max saw them dissect Jack," said Kurt, "Sorry Raav, but you talk loud."

"I know," said Raav, "If they catch her with a seizure they'll kill her."

"We won't let them," said Eva, "If I have to get her over the perimeter fence I will not let them get her, understand?"

"You know I do," said Raav smiling, "Now can we get some sleep?"

"Yeah," said Eva. Raav walked over to her cot and got down under the blankets. Hack leaned over and tucked her in, then sat back on Eva's bed.

"How do we protect her?"

"We leave," said Eva, "And I won't rest until Max is safe."

*+*+*

"LEAVE MAX ALONE!" screamed Eva, "YOU GET BACK AND LEAVE HER ALONE."

"Max," said Jondy, "Max, come on get up!"

"We have to go," said Raav, "Zack, we have to."

"I know," said Zack, "Raav, get another gun and take Eva's back."

"I got it," said Raav, grabbing one of the tazers, "Jondy, don't let them near Max."

"Out into the hall," said Zack, leading the X5's out into the hall.

"Jace?" said Max in the grips of her seizure.

"No," said Jace, "I'm not going."

"We need to move," said Roc.

"Come on!" said Kurt. The X5's stood in the hall, their eyes blazing with anger. Lydecker marched into the hall and saw Eva with the gun up.

"Shot him Eva," whispered Brin, "Shoot him now. For Jack. For Dan!"

"No," said Eva, but it was too late. Lydecker raised his gun and fired at Eva. Eva looked up then fell back with a thump. Raav grabbed her sister hand, then took the gun and raised it herself.

"Son of a bitch," she cried, quickly using the tazer to knock the gun from Lydeckers hand. With her deadly acuracy she shot the officers on either side and motioned to the window. Lydecker raised his gun again, but Kiri jumped forward and took him down. The X5's ran or the window and jumped right through it. They tucked up and rolled, then came up running.

"For Eva!" shouted Kurt as they split up.

*+*+*

"Max, go with Jondy," said Zack, "Tinga, with Brin. Krit, with Syl. Zane, you go with Ben. Hack, go with Roc. Kurt, stay with me."

"Okay," they nodded. The twelve kids split up quickly and scattered along the snowy trails towards freedom. Kurt and Zack ran forward through the snow, but stopped when the sound of snowmobiles shattered the silence. They looked back and saw two small figures running through the snow at top speed.

"Run!" shouted Zack to Kurt, who did. Zack doubled back and helped one of the two kids keep running, while the other was shot with tazers. Raav looked back at Kiri and kept running, just like Kiri told her to.


	2. Anise

Chapter Two 

Chapter Two

Max sat alone in her room looking out the window. She felt really upset over everything. Manticore was gone, but that was about the only good thing in her life. It was raining, she STILL didn't know where any of her siblings were, and worst of all she still couldn't touch Logan.

Max remembered her days back at Manticore. She remembered her last lessons, the ones where she got to chose where she would work in Manticore. Yes, she would have been a soldier, but there were a few options. She could have been working in the medical field, or she could have been a weapons expert.

She always knew who would pick what. Eva would have made a wonderful undercover operative. Zack wouldn't have picked any of them, opting to stay as the CO. Jondy would have made a great weapons expert. Raav would have made a kick ass doctor.

"Raav could have beat this thing," said Max, "But I don't know about Raav. I don't know if she made it or if she lived through Manticore."

Max lowered her head and began to think about her beloved older sister.

*+*+*

Gillette, Wyoming, 2005.

Training Forest

"Deploy!" shouted Lydecker. Nine X5s moved in a perfect march behind Zack into the forest, their guns held out in front of them, ready to shoot down things. Once inside the forest, Zack motioned for them to make a circle.

"All right," said Zack, "Half of us will follow Max, half of us will follow me."

"I don't want to shoot anything," said Eva, dropping her gun. Raav bent over and scooped up the gun and handed it to her.

"We have to Eva. I hate guns as much as you do," she said with a smile.

"Liar," said Eva, poking Raav in the shoulder.

"Quiet," barked Zack, "Max, you pick your team."

"Brin, Raav, Tinga, and Ben."

"That leaves me with Kurt, Krit, Eva and Zane," said Zack, "Now move out!"

"Follow me," motioned Max. The four other X5's followed their leader until they reached the clearing. Tinga walked out first, followed by Max, Ben, and Raav. Brin took up the lead, but she hit a snag when she snared her leg in a trap. A sickening snap followed the trap and Brin stifled a scream.

"Oh my god," said Brin, holding her leg.

"No one move," said Tinga, "More traps."

"Unfriendlies!" yelled Ben. He raised his gun and shot one bullet, which took out a machine in one of the trees, but not before it injured both Max and Ben.

"MAX!" shouted Tinga who lunged forward, and got her ankle stuck in a trap.

"Disable it!" shouted Brin. Raav raised her gun and took out a second machine with regulated the underground traps. Then, with blinding speed, she leapt to Brin's side and reached into the hole.

"This is gonna hurt baby sister," said Raav. Brin bit her lip, then nodded. Raav reached down and pulled Brin's leg out, but she left behind a good chunk of skin.

"AH!" whined Brin.

"It's okay," said Raav, "It's okay. It's gonna be okay. This is nothing, I can fix this!"

"It hurts…" whimpered Brin.

"Ben, how about a story?" said Raav as she took her knife out of her pocket and untied the bandanna from around her wrist.

"A story?" said Ben.

"To take her mind off this!" mouthed Raav as she held the knife up.

"Yeah!" said Ben, and he launched into a long story about a princess and her prince. All the while, Raav was holding Brin down and prying metal spikes out of her leg. Brin whimpered a lot and kept kicking Raav off her until Raav finally snapped.

"Listen to me Brin! Either you stop fidgeting or I am going to cut your leg off. The stiller you stay the shorter this will take. Do you understand me X5 734!"

"Yes Raav," said Brin sheepishly. Brin took out her bandanna and began to bite down on it as Raav finished dressing her leg. Raav then quickly moved onto Tinga's ankle, then Ben and Max.

Later that night, the five of them sat around in the cold and dark, waiting for the first light so they could keep moving. Max had agreed to take the second last watch so Raav could have the last one, but in her heart she had other plans.

As Max moved into her position as sentry, Raav shivered. Raav's clothes were drenched in the blood of her siblings. A thin trickle of blood from her own head was left unnoticed because she was to busy trying to help the others. She had done a wonderful job on Brin's leg. Max had checked it over and seen that it was healing already. Max's own wound was very well dressed, better than most of the doctors would have done. Max really loved her sister Raav.

Raav was one of the weaker X5's when it came to strength. Raav was no weakling, but when it came to a straight out brawl she couldn't hold out as long as, say, Kurt or Zack. Jondy often mused that they had given Kurt some of Raav's strength, but doubled Raav's brain. She was always a bright child, always the best tactician, and an amazing medic.

Max sat propped up against a tree next to where Raav was sitting and shivering. Max saw her and took off her jacket to give to her. She laid it on top of her, but Raav didn't stop shaking. Raav began to violently jerk from side to side, her hands clenched into fists. Max didn't know what to do so she did was Raav always did when one of them was hurt. She took her head in her lap and held it, making sure that she didn't swallow her tongue.

The shaking stopped after a few minutes, but it scared Max. She didn't know what to do but stroke her sisters sweat soaked brow and gaze up at the stars.

"I'm okay Max, really I am," said Raav, even without getting up.

"What happened?" said Max.

"It's called an epileptic seizure. It's because of a chemical imbalance in the brain. Not enough Seritonin.

"What?"

"I've got the shakes."

"How long have you had them for?"

"About a year. Kurt finds ways to hide them. They would take me away if they knew."

"I'll help you hide them Ravioli."

"Don't call me that. It's Raav."

"Why Raav?"

"Initials."

"Of what?"

"Do you remember when you were really little, there were other little kids with you?"

"Yeah. Jondy and Krit and Syl."

"I had Aria, Anise and Rico. They were all shot during a live ordinance drill."

"Oh."

"So I took the name Raav."

"R-A-A."

"Yeah."

"What's the V?"

"My name."

"Which was?"

"Another time Max."

"Okay," said Max as Raav drifted off to sleep.

*+*+*

"Logan!" called Asha as she entered the apartment, "Logan I may have a way to help MAX!"

"What?" asked Logan as he rolled out into the computer room.

"I need to see this tape so I can contact Anise."

"Anise?"

"Anise DiGregrio," said Asha as she handed Logan a picture of a brunette girl in her early twenties, "One of S1W. Old timer. She sent me her latest underground paper on Genetically Implanted Retro Virus's."

"You think she can fix Max?"

"I haven't spoken to her in a six months. She up and left San Francisco after something spooked her. I think it was around the time that you first helped the X5's."

"Oh," said Logan, "Where is she now?"

"She sent me a video, and told me to watch it," said Asha as she popped the tape into the VCR. It began to play, and Asha watched as the video turned into that of three twenty-something's jumping into a room. Suddenly, gunshots rang out and two went down. Then, the face of a girl appeared.

"Asha," she said, "If you're watching this, you need my help. And I know that Cricket wouldn't give you this is you didn't really REALLY need my help. The picture you just saw is what I've been up to. You see, I did a favour for a friend and I ended up being stabbed in the back. Well…. Shot in the back by people who've been after me and Curtis since we were kids growing up in the Bronx."

"She's one of the original members of S1W," said Asha as Anise rolled herself back so her lab could be seen in the shot.

"So here I am, in a place far away from the comforts of my home in San Francisco. I'd tell you where I am, but then I'd have to have you drowned in a bucket of bullets."

"Old joke," said Asha.

"Curtis and I are here with our kids. They miss Uncle Ralph, Curtis' older brother, a lot, but we're dealing. They wish I could walk, but they're glad I'm alive. The third person in the scene was Curtis' other brother Ricky. Ricky is brain dead now. Completely brain dead. We're keeping him alive in the hope that SOME of my research could help him, but stuff ain't looking good. I'm on the lookout for my baby sister Jana. She has the same blood type and I may be able to fix him.

I know by now you want to know how to contact me, and it's simple. You can't. I can't risk letting anyone know where Curtis and I are hiding. All I can tell you is I will be in Seattle on October 7th. I've got to see a man about Curtis' nephew. You want me, find me. My oldest son, Dan, will accompany me. He and I will be around. If you find me, I'll help. If not, I won't. I wish you luck and I hope you find me."

"That's it?" said Logan.

"Anise's husband is a man by the name of Curtis, thought she calls him Kurt. I always wondered about him, though now I believe he may be one of Max's crew. He has a barcode; he doesn't talk about anything before '09, and he's SO strong. He's tough, but he loves Anise to pieces," said Asha, "So are you going to help me find Anise?"

"Max…"

"No," said Asha, "I don't think Anise will like that. Anise will only come see me. Curtis has been running for his life since he was 10, and she's been by his side since she was fourteen."

"Fine," said Logan, "You and I will hunt this girl down."

"She'll likely be found around the Space Needle. She said she's always wanted to see it."

"The 7th…that's tomorrow!" said Logan, "Asha, she better be worth it."

"Logan, you want to be with Max, right?"

"Right…"

"Then you need to help me find Anise."

"Fine," said Logan, grumbling.

*+*+*

"What do you mean we're going to Seattle," said Dan as his mother turned her green jeep left onto the Seattle off-ramp.

"I mean I have business in Seattle," said Anise, "And that's that."

"Dad told me that the most important thing is to follow the mission."

"You're dad is whack when it comes to our safety."

"Dad is just looking out for us."

"He's safe and so are we."

"We're not safe."

"Yes we are. Between your fighting ability and my skills as a diplomat, we're FINE Dan."

"I do not like this."

"Your displeasure is noted and ignored," said Anise, "Now be quiet."

"Why are we going to Seattle."

"I have to test an old friend."

"Who?"

"Asha."

"Is she the one in S1W?"

"Yes."

"Isn't she the one who sent you, dad and Roc to that place?"

"No. THAT was your uncle Ralph."

"X5-599."

"I really wish your father didn't teach you all that Manticore shit."

"It's not shit."

"Don't swear."

"I'm a soldier."

"You're my son, that's all."

"Mom…"

"Don't MOM me. You are Dan Digregorio, my son."

"I am 270581092366."

"And that makes your designation what?"

"G2 366."

"G2 366?"

"My father was an X5, which makes me Generation 2. Hence, Generation 2 number 366."

"Your name is Dan."

"My father had a name too. Dad is X5 584, but he was called Kurt."

"I wish I could erase that damned barcode off the back of your neck. Then maybe you wouldn't be ten going on twenty. Your father got out of Manticore so you would never have to face any of this, and yet you cling to it like glue."

"Uncle Ralph did."

"Uncle Ralph DIED," said Anise, "And so will you if you keep up this soldier crap."

"You do know that all of us have barcodes."

"And that's why I don't let you cut your hair short."

"Eva wants short hair."

"DAN!"

"Sorry," he said, hanging his head in shame. The silence lasted for about a minute, when Anise began to feel sorry for him.

"So you say all the kids have designations?"

"We all do. Dad and Aunt Jondy teach us stuff about them."

"Fine. State your barcode and designation, as well as those of your unit."

"My name is Dan. I am G2-366. My barcode is 270581092366. Next in command is Jack. G2-475. 423439070475. Along with G2-475."

"Don't call your brother G2-475."

"Sorry. Jack's equal is Eva. G2-532. 423439070532. Then there is Trigs, G2-894, 348705050894. Then there is 423439070409, also known as G2-409, or Kat. Lastly are the twins. G2-624 and G2-426. Drake and Nami. 423439070624 and 423439070426."

"You know all their names and barcodes."

"Mom I have to. I'm big brother. I have to protect them."

"Between your father and I they're in good hands."

"Mom…"

"No buts."

"Mom, do you have a designation?"

"No Dan."

"Oh…Do you have a barcode?"

"DAN!"

"Sorry."

"You're so inquisitive."

"If you think about it, it's your fault."

"How?"

"Mom, you're the smartest person I know, except in this current situation."

"So?"

"You and dad made me, and if you think about genetics, I was bound to be smart."

"You sound like your aunt Brin."

"Dad said I sound like my aunt Max."

"Okay…"

"You never met her?"

"No…" said Anise, "Now lets find a place to stay the night."

"Sure."


	3. G2-366, X5-452, X5-734, X8-701 and X5-58...

Chapter 2 

Chapter 3

Anise and Raav

"Can I have a description of this girl?" said Logan.

"Brown hair, brown eyes, in a wheelchair," said Asha as she and Logan walked around the area. The area was crammed with people looking at stalls and arguing over what to barter with. Logan and Asha walked freely among the people until Asha pointed over to a young boy standing on top of a Dumpster. Asha walked over and tapped his boot. He whipped out a gun and pointed it at Asha without a change in the blank look in his eye.

"Whoa now," said Logan, "He must be one of the Manticore escapee's."

"Manticore?" he said.

"He would be about what Max told me is the age of the X7's."

"I am G2-366."

"G2?" said Logan.

"Dan, you're not fooling me," said Asha, "I helped your mom when Jack and Eva were born. Do you remember me?"

"Asha Barlow," said Dan with a very metallic quality to his voice, "Member of the S1W organization. Age, twenty-nine. Status, friendly."

"Dan!" shouted a voice, "You are not G2-366 for the last time now put the gun away and get down here. I got what dad wanted."

"I found Asha," said Dan sheepishly.

"I'm not surprised," said Anise as she rolled towards them. She was a stunningly pretty girl with long brown curls and innocent eyes.

"Long time no see Anise," said Asha.

"I know," she said, "Last time I saw you, we saw eye to eye. Now I'm in this damned chair."

"Mom…"

"But I'm okay," she said as she quickly motioned for silence from Dan.

"That's great," said Asha, "Cause I need a big favour."

"That depends."

"It's for my friend Logan here. You see, his girlfriend has this virus that makes them unable to touch, and he wants it fixed."

"This girl has a genetically targeted retro-virus that is activated on contact and you want me to 'Fix' it?" said Anise, "Asha, I expected a challenge from you."

"Not much you can do in your chair…" said Asha.

"I don't need it from you too," said Anise, "Get me a lab and a blood sample and I can get it fixed by tomorrow."

"Mom, our mission was to return to base as soon as we acquired the target. We have FAILED!" said Dan.

"The only thing you'll need to do for me is get your friend Logan to get me a lab I can work at and find me a place to leave Dan."

"Mom!" objected Dan.

"Dan also has some errands to run for his father so I would appreciate it if someone could take him to the market," said Anise.

"There's a lab on the south side of town," said Logan as he tossed Anise a sample of blood, "Asha can take you there."

"I am going to warn you," said Anise, "That I can't cure your girl, but I can make you an antibody that, if you take it religiously, will allow you to touch. It will take me a while to actually fix it though."

"I can deal with that," said Logan.

"Asha, shall we go?" said Anise as she rolled towards her car.

"You're going to start now?" said Logan.

"My husband is going to freak if I'm not home in a week. I owe Asha this, and I'm sure my son wants me to go away," she said as she rolled away.

*+*+*

"Logan!" shouted Max as she entered the apartment, "LOGAN! You called and said you had something for me."

"I do," he said as he walked out. On his heels was a little boy of about ten. He had reddish-brown hair, tanned skin, one blue eye, one green eye, and was dressed in khaki's and a sweatshirt.

"Who's this?"

"This may be your nephew," he said, "Any of your brothers look like this?"

"Why?" asked Max.

"Who is she?" asked Dan.

"I'm Max," she said.

"Max? I have an aunt named Max."

"Really?"

"But Aunt Syl told me she was KIA a few months ago."

"What…" said Max.

"She tried to help Aunt Syl, uncle Krit and Uncle Ralph take down Manticore."

"How do you know about Manticore."

"My father was an X5," he said, "Logan, NOW can I have a cookie?"

"Yeah, go on Dan," said Logan. Dan turned around, and Max saw that he had a barcode on the back of his neck.

"He's the son of two members of S1W. Anise is a doctor in a wheelchair. Her husband Curtis is a huge brute of a man who likes to hang with his sister Jondy."

"Jondy…" said Max, "But then which of my brothers…"

"X5-631," said Logan, "Dan I asked Dan if his dad had a barcode. He promptly repeated it, and it ended in 631."

"X5-631, that's Kurt," said Max, "One of the oldest boys. He was the biggest of us all. He always hung with Eva and Little Raav."

"I see. Does he look like Kurt?"

"Not at all."

"Well then I don't know."

"I need to see this Anise."

"Good luck. Asha and I spent hours trying to find her in one section of the city."

"I can find her."

"You won't," said Dan, "Mom has a habit of making sure she can't be found. Dad taught her that."

"Did he?" said Max.

"Father taught her to mind what she did, to make sure she was always safe before she revealed anything to anyone."

"What's the difference between father and Dad?" asked Max.

"My father left mom. My dad stayed with her and loves me even though I'm not really his kid."

"How old are you?"

"Ten years old."

"Little Man," said Max, "So you need to go to market?"

"Yeah," said Dan.

*+*+*

"Anise, can I ask you a question," said Asha as Anise wheeled around the lab.

"What?"

"Your legs…"

"Asha…"

"You moved them. You can move them, can't you?"

"I'm a paraplegic."

"Anise, I know you better then that. I watched you dive out a six story window and hit the ground running. I don't think a little bullet could hurt you Anise, if that is your real name."

"My name is…"

"Anise, don't insult my intelligence. Logan, that guy, he has an X5 working for him. She escaped in '09 with twelve others. I know about ten of them. One of them, Raav, she was a great doctor. I wonder…"

"Asha!" said Anise, "Would I lie to you?"

"Yes."

"I'm not lying to you about this."

"But Curtis…"

"Curtis… Curtis will not be commented on."

"He IS, isn't he."

"I said…"

"Wait till I tell Max and Logan!"

"Max?" said Anise, "Logan? OH NO YOU DON'T! Kurt will LEAVE me if I tell anyone."

"Why?" said Asha, "He loves you!"

"He loves his kids more and I accept that. He's so protective of him."

"Anise, you could do better."

"And what if I don't want better. I love Kurt, even though he's a muscle bound moron, he's not what most think. He's a sweet, sensitive guy with a big heart."

*+*+*

"Brin gets taken down," said Kurt, "I don't care what you say Jondy, she goes. She's a threat to all of us."

"This is stupid," said Jondy, "She's our sister."

"She nearly killed Max," said Syl.

"I don't CARE!" said Jondy, flipping her long red hair back, "She's not our enemy."

"Raav said this would happen," said Zane.

"Raav?" said Jondy, "When did Zack find Raav?"

"Years ago," said Krit, "He just never bothered to tell us because he knew that we would find her and she would find the rest of us."

"Does she have my…" started Jondy. Kurt nodded.

"She's fine," said Kurt, "And just so you know, Raav is out there being bait for Brin."

"Bait? Raav agrees with this?" said Jondy, "Are we talking about the same Raav?"

"Yes," said Kurt, "Raav and I agree on many things."

"He scratches her itch," said Syl quietly.

"I don't need to know that," said Zane, "Syl, keep what you and Krit do QUIET PLEASE!"

"It's me and Raav," said Kurt, "We've been together since Ben went out of his head…"

"How is Dan?" asked Zane.

"Dan is fine. He and Trigs are hanging out a lot more now. He's turning into Zack, but Trigs is the image of her mother."

"Just what we need…" muttered Syl.

"So about the MISSION!" shouted Kurt, "We'll head out in a sweep tonight. She can't hide from all of us!"

"What if we come across anything else?" asked Syl.

"Like what?" asked Jondy.

"You know how Manticore burned down and all the freaks got out," said Syl, "Well if any of you remember, some of those freaks were our family who didn't make it out. Kiri, Gidra, Gorl, Tammer."

"Gorl was KIA a few years back," said Krit, "Tammer was taken out during a mission a few weeks before Manticore died. Gidra has her own unit to train, and so she's either dead or with them. Kiri, well, god knows where that girl is."

"Fine," said Jondy, "So what do we do now?"

"We wait until I get the signal from Raav."

"Where is Raav?" asked Jondy.

"I told you before," said Kurt, "Seattle. She's out there as bait."

*+*+*

At midnight in Seattle, no one but the sector Police care what you're doing. Raav used that to her advantage as she picked her way through the streets of Seattle to the old medical office of Doctor Vertes. Raav had found out that Jace had been told to kill her, so she figured that Brin would go there first.

Raav jumped across a few buildings until she spotted the old building where she suspected Brin would be. She took a deep breath and walked forward. Brin was stronger than her, More Agile than she would ever be, and likely armed. All Raav had was her trusty mind, her incredible speed, a rusty knife Kurt made her carry, and a really screwy plan.

"If she turns out to be like Zack, I will kill her," whispered Raav to herself as she snuck in. Brin was standing over a pair of bodies looking proud of herself. Raav focused in on it and gasped. Her baby brother Hack was laying in a crumpled heap with her baby sister Kiri lying next to him.

"Who's there!" shouted Brin, whipping around.

"Blue Lady save me," whispered Raav as she jumped up to the Catwalk above.

"X5-734, REPORT!" shouted a mean voice.

"Someone's here," said Brin, "Someone it watching me."

"Find them and kill them. I will deal with these two X series."

"There are four more X6's in the back. These are X5-324 and X5-237."

"Find whoever is making that noise."

"Yes Sir," said Brin, saluting and jumping up to the Catwalk. Raav watched her, and quickly jumped out onto the roof.

"X5-734!" shouted Raav.

"Who are you?"

"I am X5-584. You called me Raav, remember?" said Raav, moving forward a few steps into the light.

"584?" said Brin, "584, it IS you."

"Hello 734," said Raav, "I finally found you. Do you know how hard you are to find."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here on orders from Director Renfro. I've been sent to redirect you to the new Manticore Base."

"Manticore?" said Brin, "Are you serious?"

"Yes! Despite what you've been told I am here on orders."

"You escaped like me."

"I made a mistake, but I realized it when I was told how badly you beat Max. I needed that power, that speed, that agility. I gave myself up. Renfro fixed my genetic disorders and I was on my way BACK to Manticore when it was attacked."

"It really is you," said Brin.

"It's me baby sister."

"I'm a soldier."

"We're still sisters in arms."

"It's good to see you 584."

"You too 734. My orders are to get you to the rendezvous point at nineteen hundred hours tomorrow. You, as well as any of the other escaped X series."

"All I have is a young X8 down in the basement."

"I saw two X5's in the room."

"You saw?"

"I'm a spy, what can I say?"

"They deserved to die."

"Hack deserved to die?"

"He didn't have to. He gave his life up for X5-237."

"How could you?"

"I had orders. I am leading the X7's to bring down all the transgenics in this area, and trust me, there are a lot."

**__**

BANG

"Sorry Brin," said Raav as she leaned over her sisters broken body. With one powerful set of strikes, Raav had broken Brin's legs, and her arm in one fowl swoop, "But you forget how much I loved Kiri and Hack."

"Bitch!" spat Brin.

"No. Doctor. I swore not to hurt any other human, but you don't count you inhuman MONSTER."

"584!"

"RAAV! Raav, my name is Raav. Now if you will excuse me, I have to go save my siblings," said Raav as she pulled out a roll of duct tape and duct taped Brin's mouth shut. Raav quickly looked away from Brin and hopped back into the room where Kiri and Hack lay on the floor. She looked around, then took out the knife and cut open her wrist, letting the blood fall on Kiri and Hack's wounds. In the blink of an eye, both wounds were gone, leaving smooth skin with a blood trail all around them. Raav reached over and held her wrist tightly, and felt the pain subside.

"Ravioli?" said Hack as he opened his eyes slowly. Raav motioned for quiet and pointed to the next room.

"What the…" said Kiri. Raav smacked Kiri and motioned for quiet. She nodded and got shakily to her feet.

"Brin said you had an X8 with you?" asked Raav.

"She killed one and left one alive in the basement," said Kiri, "Why?"

"I left my sister behind once, I'm not putting anyone else through the grief of losing a sister," said Raav. She snuck forward and silently opened the door to the basement. She focused her eyes and saw the form of the shaking X8 girl. Kiri followed her, but Raav motioned to her to leave.

"Why?" asked Kiri.

"Get to Portland. There's a bakery on east forty-second street. Ask for Curtis. He's there with Jondy and some others."

"Not without you."

"You're hurt and no good to me now."

"Fine."

"I'll be there in a few days, I promise," said Raav as she walked down and picked up the little girl.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Raav."

"Are you going to keep me safe?"

"Yes," said Raav, picking her up and holding her tight.

"What about my mission?"

"What mission sweetie."

"My mission was to retrieve X8 621."

"What happened to him."

"He told X5-734 his name was Bugler and she shot him."

"We'll get him out too, okay?"

"Okay…"

"Not so Fast!" said a sinister voice. Raav turned around to see Ames White standing behind her with a gun.

"GREAT!" said Raav, "Another man in my life who wants me DEAD!"  
"Who are you?"

"Your worst nightmare," said Raav, launching forward at him. White let off a shot and caught Raav in the upper knee. Raav was flung back, but managed to throw her knife and land it squarely in his foot. She then grabbed the limp body of X8-621 and jumped out the window, motioning for the female X8 to follow. The two Transgenics ran through the streets of Seattle until they reached a small apartment that Raav had found earlier. The X8 jumped in through the window and dragged the body of her brother in after her. Raav walked in after her, blood streaming down her leg, leaving a large smudge on the carpet.

"Are you okay?" asked the X8.

"No," said Raav as she lay down on the couch, "No I am not. I've lost a lot of blood. I need the blood of an X5."

"Where are we going to find an X5."

"Listen…Ummm….What's your name?"

"375285709701. X8-701."

"Your Syl…"

"No, I'm X8-701."

"Listen, your out now, you need a name."

"My Commander has a name."

"Does she now?"

"She's not supposed to thought."

"Why?"

"She's an X5."

"I'll meet her Later Via."

"Via?"

"That's your name. My sister is Syl, and your Via."

"Okay…"

"I need you to go to Fogle towers. It's the big glass building we ran past twenty minutes ago. I need you to find G2-366 and X5-452, aiight?"

"Aiight?"

"Just say yes or no."

"Yes Ma'am."

"Yes RAAV!"

"Gidra got mad at me when I called her ma'am."

"Go get X5-452!"

"Yes Raav."


	4. Hasn't Change, Hasn't stay the Same

Chapter 3

Anise and Raav, one and the same

"So you're doctor friend was supposed to show up here to give me the antidote and pick up her son, but instead she leaves you a note, AND HER WHEELCHAIR, and says she has family business," said Max, "This sounds SO odd."

"Anise tends to disappear every so often," said Asha, "This is just the first time it's been without taking her kid first."

"I'm going to go find her," said Dan.

"No your not," said Asha, "Whoever got your mom is likely agfter you too."

"IS X5-452 AND G2-366 IN HERE?" shouted a voice from behind the door. Max's jaw dropped, as well as Dan's.

"Who is this?" asked Asha.

"Oh PLEASE TELL ME X5-452 AND G2-366 ARE IN THERE. X5-584 IS DYING AND SHE NEEDS YOUR HELP!"

"X5-584," said Max, "That's Raav."

"PLEASE!" pleaded the voice. Max opened the door and the young X8 ran inside.

"Who are you?" asked Dan.

"X8-701 SIR!" she barked, "But Raav said my name is Via. She's hurt. She was shot in the leg and she's lost a lot of blood."

"Where is she?" asked Max.

"A few clicks from here," said Via, "I would have been here last night, but I got lost. I'm only a bugler, not an X7."

"It's okay," said Max, picking up the six year old and motioning to Dan, "She asked for both of us."

"Wait for me," said Asha, "If the X5's are involved, Anise likely is too."

"Why?" asked Max.

"She admitted to me that her husband is your brother Kurt, X5-631"

"Kurt…" said Max.

"Raav was crying when I left," said Via, "We have to help her."

*+*+*

"Raav!" shouted Via as she ran into the apartment. There was a blood trail from the back bedroom, and a loud yelp pierced the silence.

"Get your hands off my sister!" shouted Max as she rushed forward and broke down the door. To her surprise, Alec was standing with a bloody towel in hand and a red hot blade in the other. Raav was sitting on the bed propped up on a pile of blankets, her leg bandaged up tightly.

"Max," said Raav, trying to put weight on her leg.

"Don't DO that," said Alec, "See what you cause Max."

"Raav!" said Max, rushing forward and wrapping her arms tightly around her sister.

"All right you X5, where is Ani…" said Asha as she walked in, but she stopped when she saw who was on the bed.

"Mom?" said Dan.

"Mom?" said Max.

"Dan," said Raav, "Damn…"

"Anise…YOU'RE THE X5?" said Asha, "I knew one of Dan's parents was an X5, and I had it figured for the mysterious 'father'. You're an X5. GREAT. Just what I need, another."

"Dan…" said Raav. Dan walked over and smacked Asha upside the head, rendering her unconscious.

"Raav," said Max, "You're here, I can't believe it."

"Believe it baby sister," said Raav, "And I'm only here thanks to Ben's clone over here."

"She was bleeding on my couch," said Alec, "Now can you get her out of here?"

"Thanks a lot Alec," said Raav, "And despite how sarcastic it sounds, I really mean it."

"Mom…" said Dan.

"OH boy," said Raav, "I have some explaining to do…"

*+*+*

"I brought you up some coffee," said Raav as she limped down to sit next to Max. Max had taken her usual perch on top of the Space needle and was staring out into space.

"How did you get up here?" asked Max.

"I'm an X5."

"You were shot."

"THAT. Well, you see, Manticore caught up to me a few years ago. I got caught and tested on by some real bitch. They saw that I heal REAL fast, and took some of my DNA. Then, they supplemented it to make me better. Problem is, when they did that, I ended up being able to shut out all pain. I stabbed myself in the leg, then ran to freedom and back to my man. Haven't looked back since."

"You're healed?"

"Almost. Give me a few days and let me sleep a little and I'll be better than ever," said Raav, grinning and giving her baby sister a thumbs up.

"You haven't changed a bit."

"You have Max, but I guessed you would."

"You of all people I had pegged to become the next Zack, what with Eva and all."

"I wish I could snap every bone in Lydecker's body, but I can't, so I put it behind me."

"From what Dan told me, you mean everything. He told me that you weren't an X5."

"There's a reason. It was Kurt's idea."

"You and Kurt are together?"

"Yep. We have been for a good nine years."

"How?"

"Zack let us."

"Why?"

"Well I seem to be the most maternal of all us X5 girlies. I take care of all the kids."

"All?"

"Eight of them now."

"EIGHT?"

"I have four…Three with Kurt. Jondy has a little girl named Trigs. Syl had Twins named Nami and Drake. And as soon as I find Charlie I'm taking Case."

"Three with Kurt, who's the fourth."

"Eva, Jack and Kat are all Kurt's. Dan is not."

"Who is Dan's father?"

"Zack."

"ZACK?"

"Yeah," said Raav, "He was getting me to safety, I went into heat, I made a mistake and wouldn't give him up."

"Whoa. Does he know?"

"No. Not yet anyway. Kurt and I will tell him when he's older."

"Wow."

"It kind of sucks though," said Raav, pulling her knees up to her chest, "Dan is turning out just like his father."

"I thought her looked like Ben."

"He does, don't he. I wish he acted more like Ben."

"You know about…"

"It's okay Max. I know what happened."

"I killed Ben."

"Yes you did. But no one blames you. I would have done the same if I were in either of your positions."

"Thanks Raav, I needed to hear that."

"I needed to hear someone tell me my son is like his uncle."

"You're still the same, I swear," said Max, "You still don't let anything get to you. You grin and let it roll off you."

"It's how I've learned to survive," said Raav, "I've had a lot to cope with. Zack and I used to fight constantly about Dan. Kurt and I knew we wanted children and after we realized they would have our genetics and barcodes, we decided it would be better if I played the normal human girl."

"Like Tinga and Charlie."

"I did NOT like that guy," said Raav, "Really didn't."

"He was okay."

"He called me Raven. My name is NOT Raven."

"Zack still called me Maxie until the end."

"At least you got a good nickname. When he wanted something he called me Ravioli."

"You never did tell any of us what the V stood for."

"Vim."

"Vim?"

"Vim. When me and the other ones my age were together, we escaped one night. I, being the curious one found a bottle of what I thought was a drink."

"So?"

"It was a bottle of Vim, an industrial strength cleaner. It nearly killed me."

"You took the name Vim because of that?"

"No, I was NAMED Vim. When I got put in Zack's unit, he decided no soldier should be named after a solvent, so he told me to change my name. I became Raav."

"I always liked your name," said Max.

"Do you realize how long I've wanted to be able to sit here and tell you what my name was. I always promised you I would one day tell you what it was, and now I can," said Raav with a tear dripping down her face.

"I've missed you too."

"Thanks Max."

"Any time big Sister."

"Max…About Zack…What happened to him. We all want to know…"

"He…" said Max, but she couldn't finish. All the emotions she had pent up inside of her ran amok and came streaming out her eyes.

"Oh shh shh shh," said Raav, putting her arm around her and pulling tissue out of her leather trenchcoat, "Max it's okay. It's okay Maxie, just don't cry baby sister."

"You're so motherly," said Max.

"One of us has to be. Just tell me, is he alive?"

"No."

"He died doing something stupid. Possibly heroically stupid, but stupid none the less."

"I died, and he gave me his heart, Manticore gave his heart in a transplant."

"Oh. Manticore tends to like to do that…"

"I feel so guilty."

"Zack was the master of guilt," said Raav, "He's never let me forget the one big mistake I made."

"Mistake?"

"I jumped him and had a kid. My mistake, in his eyes, was thinking I could raise the child on my own. I couldn't and I still can't. I don't know what I would do without Kurt."

"He still the same?"

"How so?"

"Pig-headed, stuck in his ways, protective to the tenth degree, a little bit slower than the other X5's?"

"Yeah," said Raav, "But I love him anyways."

"So how DID you get shot."

"I was rescuing little Via and two of ours."

"Who?"

"Kiri and Hack got themselves in a little to deep with Brin."

"Brin?"

"She's working for the bad guy who shot me, but I took her out."

"You took out Brin?"

"Yeah. I was on a mission to get her into the open, but she called my bluff and I snapped her legs and arms."

"But the bad guy is here?"

"Ames White. He's been on my tail fir a while."

"Why?"

"You see… He was kind of a member of S1W."

"What?"

"No shit Max."

"Damn…"

"He was an old friend of mine. That's how I got caught. I trusted him, and he gave me to Manticore when he got caught."

"Why?"

"I broke his heart. He loved me, but I never loved him back. You wonder why he acts like he's got something up his ass, it's because of your big sister."

"Damn…"

"When I rejected him, he sent X5-720 after me."

"Frankie…"

"She caught me, but I escaped again, and nearly took her with me."

"Is he going to come and get us now?"

"No. Kurt is poisoning the X7's as we speak."

"So now do I get to see him?"

"No…"

"No?"

"Yeah. You see, your dangerous to us. You're a hazard."

"Me?"

"This is our groups thinking. Jondy and I are your only advocates. The rest think you need to leave Seattle."

"No."

"Then all I can do is point Jondy in this direction," said Raav.

"You'll do that?"

"Seeing as I made a false claim…"

"The Virus?"

"Yeah. I'm so sorry Max," stammered Raav, "I've never dealt with anything this advanced."

"It's okay…" said Max, but then her pager beeped. She looked down, but when she looked up, Raav was gone. Only her comforting words and compelling story allowed Max to get up and walk away without crying.

*+*+*

"There she is!" shouted Eva, jumping up and down, trying to get away from her fathers tight grip.

"Hey baby!" shouted Raav as she got out of the car and hugged her oldest girl tight.

"Anise," said Kurt, leaning in to kiss his wife.

"Raav. My name is Raav."

Authors Note: The Story is kind of weak, but it's important. We will see Raav again in a future story, as well as Hack, Kiri, Kurt, and the two others I mentioned, Frankie and Gidra.


End file.
